Collapsible garment-hanger.



I. ANDERSON. GOLLAPMBLE GARMENT HANGER.

APPLICATION IILBD JAN. 31, 1907.

920,240. Patented May 4, 1909.

; To all whom it may concern:

ISAK ANDERSON, EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

COLLAPSIBLE GARMENT-HANGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Application filed January 31, 1907. Serial No. 355,004.

Be it known that I, ISAK Anonnson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usful Improvementsin Collapsible Garment- I-Iangers, of which the following is a specification.

The salient and leading object and purpose of my invention is the production of a garment hanger, such as will accommodate .and support a coat, vest, pair oftrousers or similar articles of wearing apparel, which shall be collapsible into small compass for use in traveling, which shall be strong and prevented from folding up during use, and which can be manufactured economically from sheet metal.

My improved device includes a two-part arch to hold in proper position and shape a coat and vest, overcoat or the like, the pair of parts thereof being hinged together by means of an offset leg of a sustaining hook or loop which forms the pivot pin of the arch hinge. To maintain this arch in expanded or non-collapsible condition there is provided a divided brace, the two portions of which are hinged together and to the .parts of the arch near their free ends.

Vhen in straightened condition this brace besides acting to keep the arch expanded into operative condition also affords supporting means for a pair of trousers or the like. When not in use the hanger may be folded up into restricted or small compass by bringing the two arts of the arch together turning: on their hinge, the brace at the same time collapsing to allow folding together, and the hook or supporting loop may be swung around so as not to project from the folded structure and needlessly occupy valuable space when the garment hanger is packed in a satchel or trunk.

On the accompanying drawings. I have illustrated a desirable and preferred embodiment of my invention, and thereon like ref-.

erence characters refer to the same parts throughout the various views.

Figure 1 is a face view of my improved collapsible garment hanger in extended or 'o rative condition: Fi 2 is a lan view of the same; Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2,'certain parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction of the brace; Fig. 4 is a faceview of the hanger in collapsed or folded condition; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side view ofan inner end portion of one of the parts of the brace; Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing the central portion of the division brace in partially collapsed condition; and Fig. 8 1s a fragmentary detailed illustration of the connection between one end of the brace and the arch.

My hanger includes a coat supporting arch formed of two parts 10 and 11, each preferably made of sheet metal of are or semi-circular shape in cross-section, as is clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 8. The'inner ends of the two parts 10 and 11 are crushed or flattened to provide on the part 10 a tongue 12. adapted to fitbetween parallel cars 13 of the part 11. Both the tongue and the ears are apertured and receive the offset end 14: of a supporting hook or loop 15, the end of the offset portion of the hook being provided with a washer 16 and being heade over at 17 to maintain the parts to ether.

It will be readily understood from t is description and the illustration that this portion 14: of the hook forms the hinge or pivot pin of the collapsible arch. Each section 10 and 11, near its lower or free end, has a pair of fingers or ears 18 whichare struck out and bent inwardly from the section or part of the arch, and which leave in the latter the substantially semi-circular apertures 19. Connecting the two airs of ears 18 of the arch is a sheet meta brace com-' posed of two parts 20 and 21 'eachof which is substantially semi-circular in cross-section. The outer ends of this brace are somewhat flattened to provide a tongue 22 which may fit between and be pivoted to the cars 18 by a pivot pin 23. At the center of the brace the two sections 20 and 21 are pivoted together,-their adjoining endseach being cut away to leavea longitndinall extended strip 24 of substantially qua rant shape in cross-section. On the higher edge of each strip 24 is a depending'lug 25 provided with an aperture 26 and on each section of the brace there is a depression 27 ada tedto accommodate the end of the strip or nger 24 of the other part of the brace whereby when the brace is in straightened condition its curved. surface is smooth. A pivot pin 28 passing through the apertures 26 of ears or lugs 25 fastens the inner ends of the two parts to ether, as will be readily understood from t e illustration.

When the hanger is in operative or nonstood that the arch composed of the partslO and 11 forms a smooth curved surface adapted to fit within and properly support a vest and coat, or similar articles of wearing apparel. The brace when straightened, as shown in Fig. 1, to hold apart the two sections of the arch, presents a smoothcurved surface over which may be hung a pair of trousers or the like. There is no locking means to hold the structure in operative condition other. than the straightened brace, and to fold up the device it is merely necessary to collapse the brace and arch bringing the parts into the positions shown in Fig. 4, it being understood that the sustaining hook may also be swung around to overlie the parts of the hanger. 'Owin to the fact that the members constituting t e arch are'hollow their interior afl'ords spaces for the accommodation of the parts of, the collapsed or folded up brace. 4

Since the important and larger elements of this hanger are composed solely'of sheet metal, and since portions thereof may be 'manipulated or bent up to provide parts of the hinges it is evident that the structure may be manufactured .economically, and I owing to the fact that the arch and brace are curved in cross-section their garment supporting surfaces are smooth and well adapted for the purpose in view, also the parts of,

the brace may-be partially nested or housed in the partsof the arch in the folded condi tion of the hanger.

Although I have described the details of my structure I wish to have it understood that my lnventlon is not strictly limited to these details, and that the structure may be modified in minor mechanical features with- .out departing from the substance of my invention. 7 I claim: I

'1. In a collapsible garment hanger, the

' combination of a garment supporting arch composed of a pair of parts hinged together,

' and a garment supporting brace pivoted at its opposite ends to said arch, said brace consisting of a pair of parts hinged together, the parts of said arch and brace being of sheet metal of curved shape in cross-section,

the parts of said brace being adapted to benested or housed in the parts of said arch in the folded condition of said hanger, and the space between said arch and brace unobstructed whereby the garment may be hung on said brace, substantially as described.

2. In a collapsible garment hanger, the

' combination of -a garment supporting arch composed of a pair of parts hinged together, a garment supporting brace pivoted at its opposite ends to said arch, said brace con- -ing the.hihige pino the arch hin sisting of a pair of parts hinged together,

the parts of said arch and brace bemg of combination of an arch composed of a plu- I rality of parts made of sheet metal curved or arc-shaped in cross-section and hinged together, the hinged ends thereof belng crushed or flattened, said arch being provided near each free end with one or more ears integral with and bent out of the plane of the sheet metal of the arch, and a divided brace, the parts of saidbrace being of sheet metal curved or arc shapedin cross-section and hinged together, the ends of said bracebeing crushed of flattened and hinged tosaid ears, the space'between said arch and brace being unobstructed whereby a gar:

ment may be hung on said'brace, the. parts of said brace being adapted to be partially nested or housed within the parts of said arch in the folded condition of the hanger,

substantially as described.

4. In a collapsible garment hanger, the combination of an arch composed of parts made of sheet metal curved or arc-shaped in cross-section and hinged together, the hinged ends thereof being crushed or flattened, said arch being provided near each free end with one or more ears integral with and bent out of the plane of the sheet metal of the arch, a divided brace consisting of two arts of sheet metal curved or of arc-shape 1n crosssection and hinged together, the ends of said brace being crushed or flattened and hinged to said ears, the's ace between said arch and brace being uno structed whereby a garment may be hung on said brace, and a supporting hook, a ortionthereoffolglilie, 1 e parts of sai brace beingadapted to e partially nested or housed within the parts .of said arch in the folded condition of the hanger, substantially as described.

"5. In a collapsible garment hanger, the combination of agarment-supporting arch composed of two parts hinged to ether, and a brace to maintain the parts of said arch in extended condition, said brace consistin hinged to said arch, each member having a part adapted 'to overlie and fit in a depres-v sion of the other member when the brace is in straightened condition-to limit their turn- -of apair ofmembers hinged together an ing on their hinge and to provide a brace with a smooth surface over which the gar ment may be hung, substantially as described.

6'. .In a' collapsible garment hanger, the

combination of a garment-supporting arch shape in cross-section, and a brace to maintain the parts of said arch in extended condition, said brace consistin of a pair of members hinged together an hinged to said arch, the members of said brace being of sheet metal of curved or arc-shape in crosssection, each member of said brace having a part ada ted to overlie and fit in a depression of t e other member when the -brace is in straightened condition to limit the turning of said members on their hinge and to provide the brace with a smooth surface over which a arment may be hung, substantially as descri d. I

7. In a collapsible garment hanger, the combination of a garment-supporting arch composed of two parts hinged together, each part being of sheet metal of curved or arcshape in cross-section, abrace to maintain the parts of said arch in extended condit on,

said brace consisting of a pair of members hinged together and hinged to said arch, the

members of said brace being of sheet metalof curved or arc-shape in cross-section, each member of said* brace having a part adapted to overlie and fit in a de ression of the other gart when the brace is n straightened conition to limit the turning of said members on their hinge and to provide the brace wit-h a smooth surface-over which a garment may be hung, and a supporting hook, a' portion thereof forming the hinge in of the arch hinge, substantially as descri d.

ISAK ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

WVALTER M; FULLER,

FREDERICK C. Goonwm. 

